Healthy Eating

Helping Families Get Fit

UW Health's Pediatric Fitness Clinic helps all children and caregivers to develop healthier habits that lead to fit families.

Mindful Eating

Healthy eating means different things to different people. We encourage mindful eating. Mindfulness is about becoming more in-tune with what, when, where, how and why you eat.

Competent eaters will choose a mix of foods that taste good to them and also provide the nutrients their body needs. They eat at fairly regular times and don't skip meals because getting too hungry often drives over-eating and cravings. Competent eaters are pretty open about eating and eat a lot of different foods.

Competent eaters are more likely to eat with others because the social aspects of eating have always been important. Current American culture keeps kids too busy to get to the table, and when they do, the TV often interferes with conversation. Mindful eaters are more likely to eat with others because the social aspects of eating have always been important. Current American culture keeps kids too busy to get to the table, and when they do, the TV often interferes with conversation.

Build a Healthier Meal

Check out these tips for making any meal or snack a mindful one:

A mindful meal has at least three of the five food groups, which are whole grains, lean protein, fruit, vegetables and dairy.

Enjoy a smart snack, which has two of the five food groups. A mindful snack includes one serving of grain, fruit or vegetable with a serving of protein or healthy fat.

Make treats a special occasion by enjoying a one-serving portion as part of a meal, one time per week.

Focus on your food at meal and snack times. Turn off the TV. and electronics and use all five senses to enjoy your food.

Practice family meals. Families who eat together at least five times per week tend to be healthier families.

Kids and Gardens

UW Health Pediatric Fitness Nutritionist Marcine Braun, MS, RD, shares why getting kids involved in gardening, and going to places like the Farmer's Market or the grocery store, really can make a difference.

Her most important piece of advice? Have patience.

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